1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a dental apparatus that is incorporated in dental burs or tool bits mounted in a handpiece held by a dentist or dental technician to prevent or at least minimize such matters as blood aerosols, saliva, dental debris and the like generated during dental operations to be deposited on or within any part of the handpiece. The dental apparatus of this invention installed on dental burs provide for a barrier and deflecting means which, upon the high speed rotation of the dental bur, will prevent air-borne foreign matter from approaching or contacting the handpiece held in the hands of the dentist or dental technician.
2. Description of Related Art
With the recent spread of Aids (acquired immune defiency syndrome), new exacting procedures are being developed and utilized to minimize the transfer of infectious matter to the dentist, dental technicians, and dental patients. Further, other various pathogens, both blood-borne or saliva-borne, can be present in the dental work area. One procedure calls for steam autoclaving or chemi-claving the handpiece utilized after each use. Even, if such procedure is followed, there is still a probability that some infectious matter is not completely destroyed by the sterilization method. Although so far, little evidence has been uncovered in scientific circles to support that the possibility of contraction of Aids or other infectious diseases from patients by dental personnel through the spray of infected matter or particles, it is only proper to provide as many safeguards as possible to reduce the the contamination of tools such as the handpiece of the dental unit used by the dentist during the treatment of patients.
The prior art has recognized the need for eliminating or reducing the exposure to dental personnel to infectious foreign matter propelled from the patient's mouth during dental operations.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,320, an apparatus is disclosed which utilizes an air screen to form a protective envelope about the patient's head to serve as a barrier against air-borne particles. These particles are transported by the air stream downward after being intercepted to a disposable patient drape. This prior art apparatus, although it recognizes the problem, is very cumbersome as the formed envelope is maintained in a fixed position but it can be easily disturbed by the movement of the dentist or his technician.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,549,165, a protector cap for the dental handpiece has been devised to prevent the entry of foreign matter into the handpiece and the escape of oil from the handpiece mechanism. In this patent, a cap is inserted over the tool and tool holder and directly secured to the handpiece by a spring gripping device. The cap acts as a seal to prevent entry of foreign matter but does not deflect foreign infectious matter or minimize their deposition on the handpiece itself or on the fingers of the dental technician holding the handpiece.
The Applicant has developed a simple low-cost device comprising a barrier and deflecting means which is either attached to or integrally formed with the shank segment of a conventional dental bur or tool bit that is normally inserted by the dental technician into the chucking mechanism of the regular handpiece. The barrier and deflecting means of this invention consists of a bushing with or without a flange extending outwardly therefrom that fits tightly over the shank segment of a conventional dental bur or it could be integrally formed with the shank. Attached to the bushing or flange are a plurality of blades that extend outwardly from the bushing or downwardly from the flange. These blades are twisted so as to provide a down draft upon being rotated at high speed. The barrier and deflection means, upon insertion of the bur in the chucking mechanism of the handpiece, will be positioned just below the bottom edge of the handpiece and well above the tool head of the bur so as to not interfere with the dental operation or mechanisms. The high speed rotation of the dental bur upon actuation of the handpiece mechanism by the dentist or technician, will result in the barrier and deflecting means to form an invisible shield to serve as a barrier to prevent the entry of air-borne matter into openings in the bottom portion of the handpiece. Further, the rotation of the blades will create a downdraft to deflect air-borne particles and matter to prevent their deposition onto the surface of the handpiece as well on the fingers of the dentist or dental technician.
The barrier and deflecting means of this invention incorporated in the dental bur can be made to be disposable as the device is readily removable from the dental bur with a conventional tool and then easily replaced with a new device at a very low cost. It can also be sterilized together with the dental bur if it is not removed or integrally formed therewith. The utilization of the device of this invention may allow for the less frequent sterilization of the close tolerance designed handpiece which should result in reduced service problems as frequent sterilization has a major impact on the life and operation of the handpiece.